Search This Blog

A Blog for those who have fun with science fiction, popular culture etc. I'll be following, movies and TV. Especially fond of 12 Monkeys, The X-Files, Orphan Black, Fringe, Dr. Who, James Bond, and the like.

Sleepy Hollow - Join Or Die

I have to admit I'm struggling with Sleepy Hollow this season. Perhaps it's the all out war motif that is bothering me. The focus has shifted and I've yet to catch up intellectually and emotionally.

I do love their take on the supernatural and maybe I should appreciate the series just for that.

Boy, can they do monsters.

The acting is great also and the jokes are clever and whip smart.

So what is my problem? A lack of inspiration?

Well, when all else fails I have my love of history and so, apparently, does Sleepy Hollow.

I was struck by the image of Ben Franklin sewing together the pieces of the "succumbed souls" in order to build something larger, the Kindred. These pieces, as one, would build a greater fighting force. Something that could take on the Horseman.

I had heard this before. And yes, it was from Ben Franklin.

During the time prior to the Revolutionary War, Ben Franklin sought to unite the disparate colonies in a united front against the scourge that was represented by the French and the Indians. Franklin had fretted of the "disunited state" of the colonies and sought to rally them as a force greater than the parts that stood alone.

As time passed and the colonies drew closer to war against the Crown, Paul Revere revived Franklin's inspiration as he realized that united we stand and divided we fall.

E Pluribus Unum.

Out of many, one.

In this case the sum is greater than the individual parts and from this we get, The Kindred.

At least I hope this is where the writers of Sleepy Hollow got their inspiration. Please tell me someone on that writing staff knows of one of Franklin's greatest works. The piecing together of Franklin's snake and the sewing together of Franklin's Kindred have to be analogous to one another.

By the way did you know the definition of "analogous" is "Corresponding, related, kindred and equivalent?"

Spooky.

So there you have it my geek history, Sleepy Hollow moment of the week. There's more to this episode and I'll be returning with further thoughts later on. I'm up against the clock for now so I have to go. But remember.

Comments

Hi Dave,Nice work on the historical tie-in. I've seen that Join or die image with the snake before, but wouldn't have put it together. Makes sense. I'm curious to see where this kindred business goes, the idea of Headless fighting his own head is amusing. Oh and more Ben Franklin please, he is amusing.

For all this talk of war, the show is still just playing chess. Moving pieces into place, but no all out battles. Nothing that the residents of Sleepy Hollow are even aware of yet. Even the battle of the horsemen happened out away from town. It almost felt like a video game, everyone has an avatar, they aren't literally fighting each other. That will have to change for all these war pronouncements to have any weight.

Some of the best fun of last season was when the Scooby gang was united fighting evil. Right now Jenny and Irving are sidelined. Loved every bit of Irving this episode by the way, Orlando nailed it. Katrina is still her ambiguous self. Meh.